But they are also calling on pub chain JD Wetherspoon, who own the pretty 17th century cottage in the grounds of the Romany Rye in Church Street, to “face up to their responsibilities” and renovate it to secure its long-term future as a heritage asset for the town.

The decision by JD Wetherspoon to apply for planning permission to demolish the majority of the Grade II listed cottage to enlarge its beer garden horrified members of a local history group and the wider community.

They felt it was an “uncreative” use of such an asset and was of more value to Dereham as a landmark and symbol of its history than lost forever to a beer garden.

But Breckland Council’s planning manager Paul Jackson, through the delegated decision process, refused the application without the need for it to go before the planning comittee.

The cottage came into the pub chain’s ownership in 2008 when it bought the former Phoenix Hotel but it has remained empty since and is gradually falling into disrepair with tiles slipping and pigeons taking up residence in the loft.

At the time a spokesman for JD Wetherspoon said repair costs were too high to make it worth renovating but a larger garden was a better commercial opportunity.

Mr Jackson said: “The proposals would result in the irreplaceable loss of the majority of the building’s historic fabric and would cause substantial harm to both the buildings significance and the settings of nearby listed buildings, including the Grade I listed parish church and bell tower, and the wider conservation area.

The move was greeted with delight by Sue Walker White, chairman of Dereham Antiquarian Society, who led the campaign to save the building.

But she said it was not truly saved until JD Wetherspoon carried out the work that was needed to repair it.

“We will now look to Wetherspoons to do the right thing and this won’t be over until they start looking after it and face up to their responsibilities,” she said. “This decision does not save it from neglect and now they need to put right what they let slip.”

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon said while they respected the decision by the planning authority they were “disappointed”. He added: “We will need to take some time to decision whether to take it to appeal or not. We are aware of the views of many of the people in the town.”

Elizabeth Gould, Breckland Council executive member for planning, building control and housing, said the council took its duty to preserve the district’s heritage assets extremely seriously.

She added: “This listed building forms an integral part of the street landscape and adds to the character of the town. In the council’s view the proposed works of demolition are wholly unwarranted and we have therefore refused permission. I am aware of the strong local feeling these applications have aroused and share in the wider public concern to ensure that heritage assets of value are retained for our own enjoyment and that of future generations.”

* What do you think JD Wetherspoon should do with the cottage? Email kathryn.cross@archant.co.uk.

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In reply to Panda's comments I don't think the loss of a perfectly good building, that could be used for much needed housing, to gain a beer garden can be called useful development.
The fact that the building is over 400 years old and one of the oldest surviving structures in the town make it a very relevant part of Dereham's history and heritage. It would not have been listed if this was not the case. Breckland Council made exactly the right decision in refusing Wetherspoon's application to partly demolish the listed building.
Only this week in London Eric Pickles, Communities secretary upheld a planning inspector's recommendation that permission be refused on a developer's plan to partly demolish and redevelop the historic Smithfield Market, on the same grounds that were quoted by Breckland Council i.e the deliberate neglect of the building over a number of years.
Records show that the building in Church St was in good condition in 2006 only two years before it was bought by Wetherspoon's in 2008. They knew it was a listed building in a conservation ares when they acquired it, and with that came the responsibility to keep the building in good order. They have failed to do that and tried to use its poor condition as a reason for part demolition, this is against planning law. I hope Wetherspoon will now live up to their responsibility to our town's heritage, by repairing the building and finding a new use for it..
The Romany Rye is full of images of old Dereham which they use to their advantage to make a profit, while at the same time they want to destroy one of the town's oldest buildings, because they say it is not economical to repair it. I hope Dereham people will think twice before they spend money with a company that shows such disrespect to our heritage.

While I agree we need to protect buildings of interest and heritage, if planning officials panda to every attempt attempt to block development in this district we will forever be a district of boring market towns.
If planning control like this had been applied so heavily in London, Manchester, Birmingham and even Norwich we would not have the Hubs of culture, development, business, banking, media and retail known the world over.
If they had planned to knock down the church, or bonners cottage, even the cinema, I could understand as these buildings have history and heritage.
But this building is old, and that's it. It has already been developed beyond recognition of the photos posted about in this campaign and has no revenant history or heritage to which it shouldn't be developed in to something useful.
Let move with development, not preserve a nothing building at huge expense for no reason.